Overhead door track construction



April 9,' l940 A. v. RowE ET AL 2,196,903

OVERHEAD DOOR TRACK CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Sept. 16, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W J0 y 4 i g 64 '0? w E ATTORNEYS 3 Sheets-'Sheet 2 Original Filed Sept. 16, 1938 m. A n

INVENTORJ.

Qz/ra Jim1/e Wdm @J1/01166@ 1/ m@ ATTORIJEM` April 9, 1940. A. v. RowE ET AL GVERHEAD DOOR TRACK CONSTRUCTION :s Smets-sheet s original Filled sept. 15. 1958 ATTORNEY5 Patented Apr. 9, 1940 2.196.903 OVERHEAD noon I'mack CONSTRUCTION Alvin V. Rowe and William A. Norberg, Galesburg, Ill., assignors to Rowe Manufacturing Company, Galesburg, Ill., a corporation of Illinois l 2,196,003 Fries Original application September 16, 193s, serial No. 230,233. Divided and March 14, 1939, Serial No.

(Ol. 1li-96) 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a. door construction, and more particularly to a door of the overhead type, bodily shiftable from closed to open position.

The present invention more particularly contemplates a cooperating track and roller construction for an overhead door, adapted' to positively guide and restrain the door and all the sections thereof in a predetermined path of movement against undesired binding. In constructions of the present character the door jamb and the associated supporting members are conventionally formed of wood or other structural material, prone to expansion and contraction under the influence of weather conditions, for example. Track constructions in the past have, in general, contemplated engagement witha roller operatively secured to the door or door sections to guide the door and also to urge the door into operative position with respect to the jamb. It has accordingly been necessary to carefully locate the track with respect to the jamb in order that the parts may, experience this desired cooperation, as well as to allow for relative variations of the material of the jamb. Many prior constructions have additionally involved the arrangement of the guide track construction a relatively sub'- stantial distance from the jamb for association with rollers mounted conveniently on the rear face of the door, and to this end it has been the practice to space the track construction by additional structural supports,-such as blocking or the like. It has been found in certain installations that this construction contributes to undesirable instability and impermanence of the structure over an extended period of operation, as Well as a sacrifice in the essential characteristics of rigidity, firmness and strength,which are necessary to the permanent, continuous functioning of the device.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the above difliculties by providing a door track or rail construction comprisingin section all of the necessary door and roller contacting portions, and wherein one portion of the track is adapted to engage a guide roller, which portion is integral with a flange and track mounting section extending from. the roller body section and into position for mounting directly upon the door frame or jamb, preferably atwise thereto.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a construction, as above, wherein the door jamb mounting portion extends laterally in position to engage the front face of the door, this construction in effect providing a door engaging portion integral with the track. and capable of being formed of a. continuous strip of sheet metal for eliminating relative swelling or shrinkage of all of the door guiding and restraining means or elements.

this application 261,812

A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a track construction, as above, and particularly a. track formed of integral sheet material in which the track mounting sections may be secured flatwise adjacent the dat inner surface of the door jamb to provide a rm support as well as a door engaging seat which is not subject to swelling or contraction due to climatic changes.

Yet an additional object of the present invention is to provide a track construction, as above, having an extended base portion, as above, on which are formed cooperating struck-out or bracket sections alined with the plane of the base portion and adapted for additional securement to the supporting frame.

It should be understood that the present invention more particularly contemplates the cooperative arrangement of a track construction, as

above, in conjunction with an overhead door having guiding rollers alined generally along the central plane of the door so that the track need not project excessively from `thev plane of the jamb, and wherein the resultant holding and shifting stresses are generally resolved in a direction in the center line of the door section.

-Yet other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully during the course and progress of the following specification, when taken in consideration with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a rear .elevation of a garage door embodying the present invention, the door being shown in operative position with respect to a supporting wall;

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 2--2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional 3-3 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the hinge roller and track structure adjacent one side of the door, portions of the track being broken away to show the internal roller structure;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation'of the combined hinge view taken on the line and roller assembly used in accordance with the in the present invention is disclosed more in detail, Figs. 1 and 3 illustrate in general one preferred form of overhead door construction embodying the features of the present invention and comprising four hinged panels I0 cooperating with a doorway or door frame I2 formed in the front wall I4 of a building, the walls and roof I6 of which are shown in section. The panels, which transversely span the door opening, are relatively pivoted or articulated through the agency .of hinges I8 and 20. As clearly shown in the remaining figures, the hinges 20 each mount a guide roller which cooperates with a guideway or guide track for constraining the door construction in its predetermined path of movement. While the detailed construction of the hinges is not of great importance here, suffice it to say that each of the hinges 20 comprises an upper and lower section 22 and 24, respectively, pivotally interengaged for relative rotation about the central axis A. The lower portion of the hinge is coniigurated with a guideway 26, slidably engaging a lower portion 30 of a guide roller bracket 28. The bracket 28 comprises an arm 32 and a pintle 34 rotatably journalling a roller 36. The entire hinge and bracket assembly is fastened to the door panels by machine bolts 31.

The guide roller cooperates with a trackway, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 6, which guideway is additionally shown more in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 9. The guideway or track may comprise a plurality of links or sections forming a complete length of track, as will hereinafter more fully appear. Each of the sections, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 6, comprises a curved, arcuate roller engaging portion 38 and a base portion 40, said portions being oppositely arranged to extend along as well as laterally of either side .of the roller guided thereby, and being integrally joined by a sheet web portion 42. The web portion 42 is generally flat, being inclined adjacent the arcuate guide portion 38, as at 44. That is to say, the portion 44 is slightly inclined when observed in cross-section (Figs. 2 to 4) so that the web 42 will at all times clear the extremity of the roller and pintle.

Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the base flange 40 of the guideway extends a considerable distance laterally of the web 42 and laterally beyond the extremity of the curved section 38 for the purpose of providing a track mounting portion as well as jamb covering portion, as will hereinafter appear more in detail. It is to be noted that the track sections serve to guide the door and are ln general alined with the edges of the door panels in any adjusted position. Accordingly, the present track or guideway in its entirety extends upwardly adjacent the jamb of the doors and then curves rearwardly until it extends in a horizontal position adjacent the ceiling.

As clearly indicated in Fig. 1, the laterally extended base flange 40 is disposed adjacent the Vlambs of the door, as indicated in Fig. 2, and

terminates in the vicinityof the lower portion of the curved track section at the top portion of the doorway in order to insure free travel of the door panels along the curved section. In other words, while, as pointed out above, the base flange 40 provides a jamb covering portion on the upright section of the track.' nevertheless such a restricting portion would be unsuitable to curved track sections and it will accordingly be seen that the present invention contemplates a track having a wide. laterally extending base flange 40 ad- -54 (Fig. 9) and receive the seating of the door 60 and jacent the door merging into guide track portions which freely permit the door panels to cant or tilt with respect thereto at points where a direction in change of movement occurs.

Along the side edges of the doorway the track is formed by sections 46 (Figs. 1 and 5). These sections are alined with curved sections of track 48 which merge into the upper horizontal sections 50 adjacent the ceiling. The upstanding sections 46 are secured flatwise against the inner surface of the doorway or door frame I2, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, through the agency of fastening tabs 52, which are bodily struck out of the web portion 42 of the guideways and extended into substantially the same plane as the base portion 40. The tabs are apertured, as at lag bolts 56 or other fasteners engaging in the door frame. Where desired, these track sections may be additionally fastened by means of fasteners similarly passing through the flange 40. It is to be preferred, in such event, that the latter fasteners be of the flat head type to clear the door panels and associated parts, to which end the last named apertures should be countersunk or chamfered.

It is to be noted that the provision of the tab 52 by striking out a portion of the adjacent wall into the plane of the base section 40 provides a simplev and inexpensive method for securement of the track and cooperates with such additional fasteners as are employed to provide a firm and rigid guide structure.

In Fig. 9a there is shown a modified alternative type of fastening flange construction, designated by the numeral 52a. In accordance with this construction, the member 52a comprises an angle iron section having one flange Welded or otherwise fastened to the outer surface of the web portion 42 so that the other ange resides substantially in the plane of the base portion 40.

The last named flange is provided with an aperture 54a, corresponding to the aperture 54, previously described.

The slightly modified form of guide track shown in Fig. 10 contemplates the provision of countersunk apertures 58 in the base portion 40 for receiving at head fasteners, as heretofore mentioned. A suitably recessed lag screw or other fastener inserted in the apertures 58 will obviously not interfere with the movement of the rollers within the track structure, or with panels. The fasteners may, moreover, be located at positions along the flange 40 such that their head portions are out of the path of movement of the rollers and door sections, in which case a wide Variety of fastening elements may be employed. Attention is Vdirected to the fact that the` arrangement of the apertures 58, as shown, permits driving tools to be freely applied to screw heads, for example, to greatly facilitate installation of the mounting sections during initial application to the supporting frame.

The upper track sections 48 and 5|) extend from the sections 46 to provide continuous guideways, being mounted upon a supporting frame as well as supporting brackets 52 (see Fig. 3).. The present door construction is counterbalanced through the agency of a pair of supporting cables passing through pulleys 66 mounted inthe frame ultimately attaching to the wall I4, as at 68. Intermediate of the pulley 66, at the points of attachment 68, cables 64 engage sheaves 10 which are tensioned toward the left, as viewed in Fig. 3. by tension springs 12. The lower ends metal which, in comparison with wood, experi- 'the arrangement of the pintle of the cables 64 engage supportingv brackets 14- at the lower edge of the door construction.

The foregoing arrangement results in the tension of the springs' being transferred to exert a force tending to draw the door construction upwardly and rearwardly in its tracks, thus tending to overcome completely or partially the effective weight of the door, facilitating movement to open position.

A door handle 16 (Fig. 1) is provided for manual actuation of the movable door between open and closed position. It should be noted that the present invention provides a guideway construction which lends `itself to fabrication from the most suitable materials, such asv sheet ences a negligible degree of swelling, expansion or distortion. The elimination of these variable factors obviously provides a construction which may be assembled to -close tolerances to permit an accurately fitting, weather-tight door construction of indenite usefulness. That is to say, by virtue of the present one-piece, integral track construction for engaging the guide roller and supporting the track directly on the jamb as well as providing a door contacting jamb facing portion, there are eliminated the usual factors which result in a tendency for the door to bind and stick under varying conditions of weather, wear, and accidental impacts which may and normally do occur in service. So, also, the upstanding guide sections 42, being mounted fiatwise against the door frame, are firmly and rigidly positioned for resisting lateral strains.

Attention is additionally directed to the fact that the present invention particularly 'contemplates the cooperation of a track construction, as above, with a guide roller 36, the axis of which approaches closely to the doorframe. This arrangement enables the use of a compact track section, such as herein described, and is eiected by virtue of the arrangement of the roller pintles substantially at the line of juncture between adjacent, relatively pivoted door sections, and also since the counterbalancing as well as frictional resisting forces occurring during operation are resolved at points approaching closely the central plane of the door panels. 'In other words, supporting brackets 28, carrying the roller pintles in the position previously described and shown, results in the incidental resisting and frictional forces of the rollers being in general alinement with the forces exerted by the cables 64 and the cooperating forces exerted by the door operator.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that.

the present invention provides a door support.- ing construction Awhich may be applied without diiculty to any door frame or jamb, and which l necessitates no special tools or the exercise of invention originally disclosed and claimed in our copending application, Serial No. 230,233, filed September 16, 1938. The claims of the foregoing parent application are directed to an overhead door and pintle construction, while the present application discloses and claims more' particularly a guide and trackway construction adapted for use with an overhead door.

Numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope l to makevall such changesas fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. In combination with an overhead door structure having a door frame and a plurality of hingedly connected door panels equipped with guide rollers along opposite margins thereof, a track cooperatively disposed with respect to the rollers on each side of said panels, each track including an upright section, a substantially horizontal section, and an intermediate curved section, said track being arranged to receive said rollers and direct the movements of said door panels between vertical door closing and overhead open position, each track having a tread portion of substantially arcuate crosssection, a web portion, a second tread portion oppositely disposed from the first tread portion, said second tread portion on the upright portion of the track having a lateral extension providing a sealing abutment for complementary margins of the door panels when in their vertically disposed position, said lateral extension terminating in the vicinity of the lower portion of the curved section so as to insure free travel of the panels along said curved section between door closing and door opening positions, and means as- 'sociated with said vertical tread portions for securing same to the adjacent structure of the door frame. i

2. In combination with an overhead door structure having a door frame and a plurality of hingedly connected door panels lequipped with guide rollers along opposite margins thereof, the axis of each roller being positioned substantially in the central plane of the door panels, 'a track cooperatively disposed with respect to the rollers on each side of said panels, each track in`- cluding an upright section, a substantially horizontal section, and an intermediatecurved section, said track being arranged to receive said rollers and direct themovements of said door panels between vertical door closing position and overhead open position, each track having a tread portion of substantially-arcuate cross-section, a web portion, a second tread Aportion oppositely disposed from the first tread portion, saidsecond tread portion on the upright portion of the track having a lateral extension providing a sealing abutment for complementary margins of the door panels when in their vertically disposed position, said lateral extension terminating in the vicinity of the lower portion of the curved section so'as to insure free travel of the panels along said curved section between door closing and door opening positions, and means associated with said vertical tread portions for securing 'same to the adjacent structure of the door frame.

- ALVIN V. ROWE.

WILLIAM A. NORBERG. 

